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Sacrificial Love
As Lynn mentioned yesterday, we started The Love Dare (by Stephen and Alex Kendrick) at 1Peter3Living. If you feel led to do this book, I encourage you to do it either on your own or with us at 1Peter3Living. Already, God is opening doors and sending a clear message that He intends to use this book in a mighty way in many unequally yoked marriages.
Right off the start an integral theme of sacrificial love is very apparent. And necessary. I believe there is no greater refiner than marriage to bring us to the point of "losing our life" as Christ speaks of in Luke 17:33 (see also Matthew 10:39, Mark 8:35 and John 12:25).
God is calling us to quit living for ourselves, to quit putting ourselves and our own needs in first place, to give up our rights for the benefit of someone else.
That's sacrificial love.
And for marriage to work, that's what it takes. Are you willing to give up your right to be right? Are you willing to give up your right to self-justification in exchange for Godly justification? Are you willing to let go of the pain of the past in order to find hope again, and a future based in love? Are you willing to run the race to the end so that you can stand in front of Christ and hear "well done my good and faithful servant?"
Jesus is our greatest example of sacrificial love. He set aside his needs, wants, and desires to save us. He set aside his life, literally. He did it for us.
I believe God is calling us, as unequally yoked spouses, to make this step toward sacrificial love not just for our spouses sake, but in obedience to Him. It's a tall calling, one I believe we are worthy of. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:15–17:
God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him.
Mordecai asked Esther, "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
We've been called to a mission of sacrificial love in such a time as this. And It's not about us.
It's about God.
Praying and believing,
Dineen
thank you dineen - you wrote this post wonderful and loving! hugs Tamara PS: I believe not only we spouses of yet-unbelieving-partners but also of all women and men in marriages - be they christian or not-yet-christians. hugs
Posted by: Tamara Hari | February 10, 2009 at 12:39 AM
Amen, amen.
Posted by: Denise | February 10, 2009 at 03:09 AM
Wow Dineen,
This is a powerful and demanding post... I really believe this IS what Jesus calls all believers to. Sacrifical love.
"And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
We've been called to a mission of sacrificial love in such a time as this. And It's not about us.
It's about God.
Oh, that these words would sink deep into our souls today and forever change us. That is my prayer for everyone of us. Love you. Thank you.... hugs~
Posted by: Lynn | February 10, 2009 at 06:21 AM
AMEN! There were times in the past that I thought God brought me and my husband together to SAVE my husband after he fell away. And then one day God removed my blinders about ME and I realized maybe this is more about refining me for His glory. I have seen how much this marriage has changed me for the better. It is like a pumice stone on a callous...sloughing off the dead life!
And then I have rare precious moments, like this morning when my husband got up 30 min earlier than usual. I jumped up to make his coffee and breakfast. I had no idea what he had planned. I had secret hopes that maybe he was going to open the Bible, but then I forced myself to let go of those expectations so I would not be disappointed.
My husband walked into the kitchen, took hold of my hand and asked me if I had time to pray with him this morning? So we spent 30 minutes in prayer together and I can only give God the glory for working that special moment of hope again!
Posted by: Julianne | February 10, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Tamara, I agree. This applies across the board to all marriages and to all relationships.
Denise, been thinking about you, girl. And praying. :-)
Lynn, I sense so deeply this is where God is asking us to go, and it is demanding. I just hope I didn't leave the encouragement out. LOL!
Julianne, this is wonderful!!! This just brought tears to my eyes. Girl, I am rejoicing with you! God is so awesome!
Posted by: Dineen Miller | February 10, 2009 at 10:28 AM
This is one of your best posts... Filled with encouragement. I think sometimes we don't let God be demanding in our lives and we need Him to be.
Keep typing girl... Awesome.
Posted by: Lynn | February 10, 2009 at 10:30 AM
Sacrificial love...I have been reading so much about it lately. Could the Lord be trying to tell me something? Hmmm....My husband doesn't want to do the Love Dare but unbenknownst (or however you spell it) to him, I'm doing it for him anyway when my copy comes in. Can't wait!
Posted by: Laurie Ann | February 10, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Thanks for the reminder that it's not about me.
Posted by: Shonda | February 11, 2009 at 04:40 AM
Laurie Ann, good for you! Your husband won't know what hit him. Enjoy the journey.
Your welcome, Shonda! Thanks for stopping by. :-)
Posted by: Dineen Miller | February 11, 2009 at 02:57 PM